Smiley: an ambassador for change

SMILEY

AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHANGE

In its 50-year trajectory as an icon of popular culture and the subversive underground, the brand continues to be a recognised beacon of positivity.

From the very beginning, Smiley’s mission has been to spread good news with its founding mantra, ‘Take the Time to Smile.’ Fast forward half a century, and the brand has done just that. The 2022 anniversary saw Smiley amplified across the globe, filling the world with smiles through unique artists-edition collaborations alongside some of the world’s most relevant brands in fashion, design, beauty and food.

Projecting the icon of defiant optimism across the globe, Smiley kick-started 2022 with a fly-poster campaign and projections across cities from Sydney to LA to deliver a Global Street Art Manifesto of Positivity. These activations were magnified by PR, marketing, OOH, and guerrilla advertising – and inspired the world to ‘Take The Time To Smile’.

This ambitious anniversary campaign saw the brand brought to life in 98 pop up stores across 18 countries, over 60 limited edition collaborations launched in over 10,000 stores, over 3,000 media features and a social media footprint of 45million and over 200 influencers with a combined reach of 60million plus sharing their love for the brand with their audience. In doing so, the brand once again delivered a culturally relevant message of optimism via a fully immersive brand experience both on and offline, increasing global brand love and awareness.

But it won’t stop there. Charity is a huge part of transforming our world for the better, as Smiley knows well. This summer, it embarked on a shared mission with The Bicester Collection to support women and children with a charity collaboration. ‘Take the Time to Smile’ and DO GOOD saw limitededition products raise funds for charities supported by The Bicester Collection’s DO GOOD programme.

DO GOOD is its initiative focused on supporting 10 charities that promote and progress the self-empowerment of women and children, both locally and globally. The campaign, running through to October, launched in all The Bicester Collection’s Villages in Europe and China. Guests visiting The Bicester Collection were invited to ‘Take the Time to Smile and DO GOOD’ with all sales directly supporting the charities.

And Smiley’s feel-good messages and smile-worthy moments were evident throughout The Bicester Collection’s sunny open-air settings, through an exciting programme of art, music, food, and retail theatre.

Whilst this campaign amplified positivity to the masses, it also elevated Smiley’s purpose and helped to remind global citizens of how a simple smile can change perspectives and lives.

So what’s next for Smiley? Following the success of the multifaceted 50th anniversary, 2023 onwards will see a double down on the positive energy generated, with a future-thinking campaign that emphasises the planet and its inhabitants.

In 2023, CEO Nicolas Loufrani is making The Smiley Company a global leader for responsible brands, driving Future Positive® businesses forward through an immersive 360° campaign. It aims to elevate sales and recognition by supporting changemakers in the brand extension community. Put simply, Future Positive® is an extension to Smiley’s mission of creating a happier, kinder, more conscious

world. It’s a first-of-its-kind initiative, working with global brands to tackle worldwide social and climate injustice through transparent and sustainablyproduced products.

For the past three years, this brand mission has been realised through Smiley Movement, a not-for-profit aligned with UN SDG Goals, that kick-starts meaningful engagement with consumers to build a social legacy. Smiley Movement aims to inspire positive change in society by addressing urgent societal and environmental problems, through a cross-media platform of news, videos, events and awards that connect the non-profit sector to the broader public. More than ever, the people in our world are ready to be empowered, take purposeful action, and build hope for a brighter future – and that’s exactly what the movement aims to support.

Building on this vision with Future Positive® Smiley’s 360° campaign will bring together the most future-thinking brands to curate a range of sustainable lifestyle products, infused with brand experiences and charitable giving opportunities. It’ll be an ambitious but necessary endeavour to execute this forward-thinking campaign that aims to inspire environmental solutions and drive ecological transition.

By offering a platform to showcase those that align with the Future Positive® mindset, The Smiley Company will become an ambassador for responsible brands, positioning itself as a committed stakeholder in society.

Speaking about the campaign, Nicolas Loufrani, CEO comments; “The Future Positive® campaign will bring together the most future-thinking brands and manufacturers to develop sustainable lifestyle products. We want to be a positive force for change in the licensing industry. Within 5 years we have committed that 100% of our licensees will have a sustainable offering in their Smiley ranges.”

Ambitious, authentic, and forwardthinking, Smiley continues harnessing the power of the smile leading the world toward a future we all want to be part of.